City of White

This weekend we ventured into Washington to have a wander and gawk at all the beautiful white stone and marble.  Jordan remarked on the beauty of purpose of design.  For example, how the reflecting pool, meant most obviously to reflect the Washington memorial, also causes one to reflect on the long walk from the Washington Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial on its opposite end.

After lunch at the Corner Bakery, we walked to the Memorial to gaze up at this shockingly tall pointed tower made of both local and imported white stone, before walking the length of the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial where sits the lean, handsome historical man, well-attired in his bowtie, quality boots and long buttoned-down jacket, which overlooks the pool and Washington Memorial through tall solid white pillars.  We sat and reflected, as one tends to do there, before walking back toward the Capitol Building a few miles at the other end of the mall.

Later on in the afternoon, we crossed back into Arlington to visit the cemetery housing the bodies of a myriad of political, military, and other various historical figures.  In particular we saw the graves of JFK and Jackie as well as the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," which was quite moving, in particular because a large group of WWII veterans, some pushed up in wheelchairs who came up this particular evening to visit in quiet reverence and remember fallen comrades.  At the very top of the hill was an enormous and quite striking amphitheatre made of pristine white marble glowing in the setting of the early fall sun.  Stunning!

Washington is a beautiful city and so rich in history.  So surreal to be touching the walls of buildings we have seen for years only on television.  And tonight, after our long day, we sit and watch "National Treasure" and chuckle as we see the Capitol building on television.  Hey, we've been there!